Adorable Food Goddess

Xia Chunyu didn’t know about Consort Mei’s incident, so when she dropped that bomb, he was shocked. What did Consort Mei want with Yaoyao?

He was still pondering over that when Yaoyao left.

He stared at the empty seat in front him, recalling her tone and her expression…

No! This is not good!

He stood up and rushed to her room.

Ye Jiayao placed a square homespun cloth on the bed, opened the cupboards, and started packing. She did not have many things. All the woman’s clothing she has was what Chunyu asked Song Qi to buy, and she wouldn’t be taking those. He could keep it or throw it away.

However, even though she only has a few things, they were all valuable so staying at an inn would not be safe. She did not want to go to Lai Fu Inn because Manager Du would just worry about her. Her only other option was Heavenly Residence. Now that she was the Head Chef, and an Imperial Mobile Chef, at that, she was positive that Shopkeeper Li would permit her to stay in the Lotus Attic for the night. Maybe she could even talk him into giving her her own room tomorrow.  Mmm, I think I’m set…

Just as Ye Jiayao was bundling up her bag, her door opened.

Xia Chunyu, upon seeing the baggage she was holding, raced in and snatched it away.

“What are you doing?” Xia Chunyu asked, flustered.

Ye Jiayao replied emotionlessly, “Give me back my baggage.”

“No, stop. Don’t be so childish. How do you think Uncle and Auntie Jiang will feel when you leave the house?” Xia Chunyu said softly

Ye Jiayao sneered, “Leave me alone. I’m very grateful for making all these arrangements for me, but I don’t need nor want it anymore. I accepted it then because I thought you were doing it because I was special to you. Now, though, since you’ve made yourself clear, I can’t stay here any longer. I don’t care if I have to sleep on the streets, I’m not going to continue to stay here.”

Ye Jiayao made a move to take her bag back but Xia Chunyu held on tightly to it.

“What? I didn’t say anything! You are putting words in my mouth.”

“Just stop, okay? If yanking me around like this is fun to you, well, count me out.”

“I had a drop too much, I was spouting nonsense. I’m sorry,” Xia Chunyu apologized. The last time she left him, he spent a great deal of effort to coax her back. If she leaves now, with Little Jing dogging her step all the time, she might not come back.

Ye Jiayao scoffed, “In vino veritas.”*

“Alright. I admit I said all those things just to spite you. It’s just… you don’t consider my feelings. The day before, I waited so long for you at the back door but you ended up leaving with Little Jing without even telling me. When I came back today to the news that you were in the palace, you can’t even begin to imagine the fear I felt. I only found out that you’re safe when I rushed into the palace!

“Then I went to look for you at Heavenly Residence, intending to have a meal with you, but your co-workers informed me that you were with Little Jing. Again.  How do you want me to think? You are dressed up as a man, you can land yourself into all sorts of trouble. Yaoyao, I was so angry because I care about you.

“When we fight, it is just natural that we would talk brashly. We’d try to make each other feel horrible and guilty, but I… don’t like seeing that I hurt you. I felt terrible saying those words. I’m sorry. Don’t leave, alright?” Xia Chunyu said, pouring his heart out in every word.

Ye Jiayao’s heart lightened up. She forgives him, but she still could not stay at the house anymore.

“Chunyu, I… I really don’t want to stay here anymore. I have never liked staying here. It’s not that I don’t want to live with Uncle and Auntie Jiang, but it’s the feeling  of staying here.  I feel like I am some mistress that you are hiding from everyone else.”

“This is only a temporary arrangement. When your status is reinstated, I will find a way to marry you,” Xia Chunyu explained to her. He knew that Yaoyao was a strong, prideful woman who would not settle for less.

Ye Jiayao stared at him in shock. This was the first time she heard him say that he would marry her.

While she was still in a daze, Xia Chunyu stuffed her baggage back into the cupboard.

“Don’t go. Auntie and Uncle Jiang treats you like family. If you leave, they will be extremely upset. They’ll think that you don’t like them. Plus, I would just constantly worry about you if you stay somewhere else.”

Xia Chunyu pulled her into his embrace, slowly tightening his arms around, rubbing his cheek against her silky hair. He said in a low voice, “I was just jealous. I don’t like to see you and Little Jing being so close.”

“I treat Little Jing as a little brother!” Ye Jiayao protested.

“But he is still a man. Believe me, I can tell that Little Jing does not treat you the same,” Xia Chunyu said worriedly.

“Nonsense. Little Jing doesn’t even know that I am a woman.”

“That’s not an issue. You’re friends with Zhao Qixuan, right?”

Oh. Oh, no.

“If he finds out the truth in the future, it’ll be so awkward, don’t you think? You have to be more mindful and keep your distance.”

Ye Jiayao was still in disbelief. Does Little Jing really like her?

“Tell me what happened with Consort Mei,” Xia Chunyu asked, changing the topic.

“Huh? Oh. Consort Mei wants me to hand over the secret recipe to the ice cream mooncake. I heard that the shopkeeper of Ju Xian Yuan is a Mei and is actually Government Minister Mei’s relative.”

“They are,” Xia Chunyu confirmed.

This Consort Mei really dared to use His Majesty’s adoration towards her to give her family business more profits? And to think that she was the daughter of the Director of the Board of Rites. All the moral teachings have gone to waste on her.

“Did she do anything?” Xia Chunyu asked.

Ye Jiayao shook her head. “No. I was almost beaten, but thankfully, Eunuch Little Chuan by the Crown Prince’s side came.”

“This matter would not end so easily,” Xia Chunyu said through gritted teeth.

“Forget it. I doubt she would do it again since even His Majesty was alarmed this time.” Ye Jiayao did not want to make too many enemies. She has enough on her plate with just Liu Li!

“Who does she think she is? Just because she’s favored in the palace, doesn’t mean everyone else likes her, too. There are people who are just waiting to bring her down,” Xia Chunyu ranted.

“The women in the palace are trouble,” Ye Jiayao lamented.

Xia Chunyu nodded empathetically.

She still did not wish to believe that Little Jing liked her. How were there so many homosexuals in this era?

Xia Chunyu’s blood started to heat as he stared at her soft, pink pouting lips. He lowered his head, wanting to kiss her.

“No. You just drank.” Ye Jiayao dodged him.

Xia Chunyu smiled, shaking his head. “Didn’t you drink some, too?”

He held her head firmly and kissed her.

“Sister Yaoyao…” Little Yue’s voice called from outside.

The two of them separated quickly, Ye Jiayao’s face beet red. She tidied her dress and calmly asked, “Yue-er, what is it?”

“Young Royal Highness Jing is here. He is looking for the Heir-Son Lord. My father is holding him back!”

They exchanged confused glances. Why was Little Jing looking for Chunyu?

“I’ll go out first, you change your clothes,” Xia Chunyu said.

Little Jing must not see Yaoyao in a woman’s clothing.

“Little Jing, you’re looking for me?” Xia Chunyu asked as he stepped into the room. He was surprised to see that Chunfeng was here as well.

“Brother Chunyu, you are here, indeed,” Helian Jing said.

Chunfeng chuckled. “Little Jing said you’d be here but I didn’t believe him.”

Xia Chunyu gave him a cold look and said flatly, “I heard that Li Yao got summoned to the palace today. I came to ask what happened.”

“It’s that Consort Mei that’s shamelessly coveting Yaoyao’s mooncake recipe,” Helian Jing complained, his voice filled with righteous indignation.

“I already know about that. Don’t tell me you were looking for me just for this?” Xia Chunyu asked, feigning boredom.

“No, it is another matter.”

The three of them sat down to talk.

“Brother Chunyu, do you still remember that Wei Liujiang?”

Xia Chunyu nodded.

“My brother sent someone to Yang Zhou and they reported that the family said that Second Lady Ye has recovered from her illness and is now back with them. My mother does not believe it and thinks that there is something wrong, but she can’t pinpoint exactly what. My brother is still not back from the army camp so I’m asking you for your take on this,” Helian Jing relayed.

If the news is true, the Helian Mansion would be put in an awkward position. They created such a fuss with this that if it turned out that the Helian Mansion’s servant was the one lying… well, Helian Jing didn’t want to think about that.

Xia Chunyu said resolutely, “That’s impossible.”

“Why?” Helian Jing asked.

Xia Chunyu wanted to confess everything to them, but he knew that it was not the right time yet. “Firstly, if the servant lady is lying, why would Wei Liujiang and Mu Qinchu so anxious to see her? Why would they attempt to bribe her? Secondly, your brother only sent someone over the next day. I reckon that Wei Liujiang has already sent someone over to Yang Zhou to deliver news that night. When your people reached the city, the Ye family already concocted a plan to deal with it.”

Helian Jing and Xia Chunfeng nodded thoughtfully.

“This must be a fake news released by the Ye family. No one even saw Second Lady Ye’s return! And even if they let you see her, you wouldn’t know if she was the real deal. We have never seen the Second Young Lady Ye.”

Both of them nod again.

“How can we expose their lie?” Helian Jing asked.

Xia Chunyu muttered, “Just wait. I’m sure that the Ye family will send someone over to explain things soon. When that time comes, we’ll play it by ear.”

Xia Chunfeng was bewildered. “Isn’t the First Lady Ye born to the first wife? How is it possible that the Ye family allows the Second Lady Ye to impersonate her? Could it just be that the First Lady Ye simply refuses to marry in a faraway place?”

The corner of Xia Chunyu’s lips rose into a sneer. “Chunfeng, not everyone is as kind as you think. Wei Liujiang is the first young master of the Ji Nan prefectural magistrate. Who doesn’t wish to marry him? The first young lady was born to the first wife and that’s where the problem lies. She’s not born by the current Madam Ye, the second young lady is.”